First of all, the PSV port’s “tagline” going on about “cursed love” does the story absolutely no justice. If you’re unfamiliar with Black Wolves Saga, I urge you to read both story summaries on the VNDb links or of spoiler-free reviews.

Black Wolves Saga -Bloody Nightmare- was released for Windows in April 2012. Bloody Nightmare was developed and published by Rejet alone, contrary to Last Hope. It had a much larger emphasis on the overall story as opposed to character-centric romance plots. Unlike many otome games at the time and even today, Bloody Nightmare was often cruel, violent and depressing; near-completely an utsuge. The focus was on the twin brother Cat princes, Mejojo and Auger von Garibaldi, as well as the racial and monarchical politics of Weblin. While there was romance, it was treated as secondary.

Black Wolves Saga -Last Hope- was released for the PSP in December 2012. On the other hand, Last Hope was less violent and depressing than Bloody Nightmare. It perhaps appealed to players who were curious about Black Wolves Saga, but didn’t want to play anything too “hardcore”. Last Hope had a larger focus on the Wolves (particularly my baby, Rath Vogart), romance and is closer to being a “nakige” than an “utsuge”. Last Hope was supposedly Otomate’s idea, and they (technically Idea Factory) published it- most likely to cash in on Bloody Nightmare’s critical acclaim and popularity at the time.

I prefer Bloody Nightmare thanks to its richer plot. However, I enjoyed Last Hope as well. Both games are set in the same universe, but a different reality. So you don’t have to play them in any specific order, or one to understand the other. Though designed to be standalone, you really do make the most out of Black Wolves Saga by reading through both.

If Rejet wants insists on porting, I’m happy to support them porting their older, better quality games. Hopefully Gekka Ryouran Romance gets a port, or perhaps Tiny x Machinegun with full voice acting.

This is the long-awaited new entry into the critically-acclaimed, traditional Japanese legend ADV series, “Ken ga Kimi”. Set in a fictionalised Edo era, it depicts the ephemeral love between the protagonist and the samurai who live for the sword.

These collections of stories will enable one to further and deeper enjoy the world of “Ken ga Kimi”. Short stories that couldn’t be told in the original game… Why, they add up to one hundred.

Alright, sure, Rejet is milking the fark out of Ken ga Kimi… but I’m not against the idea of there being a fandisc and/or sequel. Just as long as they don’t go overboard about it unlike SOME franchises have. Don’t want a beautiful game to turn into a cash cow joke punchline like Hakuouki, Amnesia or Diabolik Lovers.

I wonder if there are literally a hundred short stories? Not sure how interested I am at this stage, but let’s wait and see. At least it’d be more intersting than the string of character song CDs (nothing against character songs- I’m just not really interested in them).

A curse dyes the moon red.
It’s as though it were an apple dipped in blood.

Mysterious incidents in which vampires are killed one-by-one in the human world began to occur. The feuding brothers of the Sakamaki, Mukami and Tsukinami households started to suspect and become cautious of one another. As a result of this, the equilibrium of the spiritual world gradually headed towards collapse.

Then, there is the lone and maddened young boy who lead the mysterious, decaying beings of the spiritual world.

Who will be the one that’ll get their hands on the bloodstained paradise (Eden)?

(Note: On her old blog (now defunct), Satoi mentioned that she’s no longer solely responsible for the artwork of Diabolik Lovers, or words to that effect. It isn’t exactly known how much involvement she has anymore. Apparently, she still does artwork for Diabolik Lovers. This is indicated by promotional material advertising something like “Satoi-sensei drew [X] exclusively for this occasion!” kind of thing. While some fans theorise that Satoi is having issues with Otomate, others believe that her spike in popularity has made her too busy to personally oversee every artistic aspect of the franchise.)

While there have been no official confirmations yet, Lost Eden is a new story (i.e. not likely to be a fandisc) that is perhaps a sequel of Dark Fate. It doesn’t seem compulsory to have played the previous games, though I think newcomers to Diabolik Lovers would benefit with doing so as the games don’t appear to be 100% standalone.

Yes, the new character, the “Prince of Vampires” Kino, is just an excuse to create more Diabolik Lovers fans by dragging the hugely popular Maeno Tomoaki into it. But by some kind of miracle, the plot of Lost Eden doesn’t sound like irredeemable crap- just merely “whatever” as opposed to *puke*. Sure, the story is nothing new or original, but at least it’s not Dark Fate-tier rubbish at the very bottom of the shitty Twilight fan fiction bin.

In an age of upheavel in which one could face death the next day, you meet a young man by chance.

In the limited time left until he reaches the end of his life, the young man puts it on the line with sword in hand; ambitiously trying to cut his way through the era.
Such is the tale of true love between you and the young man.

“Wasurenagusa“, a drama CD series based on the Shinsengumi.
“Shinsengumi Gyoufuu-roku Wasurenagusa”, the fourth entry of the series, is about the secret love between you and the younger soldiers before they formed the Shinsengumi.

Wow, 4th series? I’ve been meaning to try at least one of the first CDs, but I always find something else to do that interests me more. I don’t have a particular interest in the Shinsengumi, so that doesn’t help. I guess as long as there are more Shinsengumi members for Rejet to milk, coupled with the series’ popularity, they don’t see any reason to stop making more. I like the idea of a bittersweet romance, though I don’t see why they bothered with the Shinsengumi angle save for competing with Hakuouki or just using famous names to draw attention.

Hey, you’re not allowed to tell, OK?
You can’t say anything about the Seven Mysteries of Nanagiri Academy.

Nanagiri Academy possesses Seven Mysteries that have been told of since the olden days.
However, you’re probably the only person who knows that ayakashi are behind it all.

You are a student of the academy, and became lovers with the ayakashi that was causing the Seven Mysteries. The two of you were leading a happy life.

However, one day, a disturbing rumour began to spread.
The details of the Seven Mysteries had been changed. As if he were influenced by them, your lover’s behaviour had become strange.
In the end, he chases you ominously- yet charmingly- in the darkness…
Will you be able to put a stop to this oddity?

This is a love story about you and an ayakashi overcoming the Seven Mysteries.

I guess this is a “fandisc” of Yuugen Romantica? Wasn’t interested in the original series (even though I like stories about Nana Fushigi), the new characters don’t particularly catch my eye plus this “trying-too-hard-to-be-sexy” scenario isn’t convincing me to change my mind about Yuugen Romantica. Nice music, though. Maybe Rejet is going with the “Practically Softcore Audio Porn” sales model in the vein of Vanquish Brothers this time?

This is the “fandisc” of the initial Zenryoku Shounen drama CD series. I had a vague interest in the first series, but now, not at all. Basically yet another otome series with a pointless idol-like element added on like a crappy patch. Would have been more interesting if Rejet didn’t bother with the whole song thing. Yeah, if it’s a music club, fair enough. But for the other clubs like the basketball, volleyball and the “going home club”? Not necessary. Plus if this is about “bored girl meets guy passionate about his school club interests”, having one of the boys in the “going home club (i.e. NOT in a club)” with no explanation what his “passion” is works against the theme, no?

I liked the basic concept but once again, idols ruin everything for me.

You are a mermaid descended from the Happyaku Bikuni.
It is said that the tears of a mermaid have the power to grant eternal youth and immortality. Having heard that rumour, the nobles hold a meet in their fight over you called the “Kuro Yoshiwara Game”.

The rules of the “Kuro Yoshiwara Game” are:
One: Charm the mermaid.
Two: Do not wound the mermaid.
Three: Do not let the memaid escape.
Just those three rules.

The moment the veil of darkness comes, the men invited to the red light district begin to fight over you.

“Ah, the colour of those tears stained with love and desire are so endlessly clear…”

More excuses for not!sex situations? Without all that unnecessary Yoshiwara crapola, this would have been something I’d be interested in- especially if the CDs focus on why the guys want her tears so much.

It’s such an idiot plot. For starters, maybe they could arrange a deal for her so that she’d want to give the tears. OK, she says no. Then be pragmatic about this! Be so terrible to her that she will cry. What about restraining her and forcing her to cry? They wouldn’t have to fight over her- just keep the mermaid alive while making her suffer. Then everyone gets some tears. Perhaps they could run a business selling it at sky-high prices. They clearly don’t care about her much since they’re treating her like a trophy.

Though… There’ll probably be some lame excuse that it has to be induced through “certain” means in “certain” contexts, yeah?

Or I could be really wrong and this could turn out a lot better than it seems. I’ll keep an eye on reviews but I don’t have much hope.

Kiraboshi Productions- nicknamed KiraPro- creates idols and other celebrities in great numbers.

Idols working for Kiraboshi Youth attend a beautiful school called “Kiraboshi Academy”.

Aiming to reach the top of the world of show business, the boys study singing and danching everyday. At that same academy, you meet and fall in love with one of the six members of the group called “Fruits Basket”.

“Dig in to the freshly-picked kisses of these freshness★100% juicy idols!♪”

More like 100%★Screw You Rejet, What Have I Ever Done to You?! All I Ever Did Was Support You Until Diabolik Lovers, and Even After Then, I’ve Still Been Trying to!

A big thank you to the Rejet fans who continue to make the production of this 100% derivative crap go on waaaay longer than it should have! Without your devoted supporting of shittier Rejet titles, I wouldn’t have half the crap to complain about each announcement event. You give me material.

If you thought Marginal #4 is just another in a long line of derivative, unoriginal, soulless otome idol rubbish with zero creative integrity (all of this is true, but that’s not entirely the point at the moment), at the very least it’s not going all Uta no Prince-sama rip-off stupid with none of the latter’s charm.

Whta a waste of that cute penguin… Who’s just a rehash of the Happy Sugar Idol‘s Satou idea, anyway.

Anyway, I’m doing my best to forget this quickly- even with enough life wisdom to know it won’t work- just like when I walked in on my parents “wrestling”. Next!

The hot springs of Jigokudani is the finest pleasure, the beautiful oni’s services are most thorough. To be nude is to become clear of mind and soul.

In hell, there is a public bathhouse called “Jigoku Onsen”; a place that can cleanse one’s soul. There, problematic oni that can’t even enter The Eight Greater Hells are made to work as entertainers for beings like Yama, members of Yama’s family and other magistrates of hell.

Bathing there, as well as receiving the beautiful oni’s services by getting your body scrubbed and getting your hair cut, enables the filth accumulated in hell to completely wash away. It is said to feel like one is ascending to heaven.

You are the daughter of Yama, the king of hell and judge of the afterlife. Due to certain circumstances, you are commanded by your father, King Yama, to go and inspect the bathhouse. Being the daughter of King Yama, hell’s guard, you are warmly welcomed and attended to.

As you spend time alongside the oni at the bathhouse, what pasts and origins of theirs will come to light?

“Now, now, Princess, there is no need to refuse. Please allow yourself to be immersed here until you die.”

Anyway, aside from the fact that real oni aren’t beautiful in the least and it’s laughable that truly “problematic” beings of hell are “forced(?)” into working at a bathhouse instead of getting tortured for all of eternity or torturing other beings for all eternity… I don’t really take issue with this. I guess it’s a far more tolerable version of Kuro Yoshiwara Melancholia. This is because it sounds like there’s some attempt to delve into the characters themselves rather than just purely being a vehicle to take advantage of the seiyuu’s popularity.

I’m interested enough to keep an eye out for reviews and such, but I doubt I’d get around to it anytime soon even if I DO decide to listen to it.

These boys will sweeten your nights.
An old, honourable family that are said to have taught “the ways of the night” to women of high nobility. Inheriting beautiful names of the night moon, they are the 107th heads of the Yotogi family.

This is the story of how you inadvertently arrived at the mansion they live in.

Their “duties” that must not be known to the public.
What are those hidden techniques they play like an instrument in the night?

A Majestical Cr[L]own by any other name would smell so much like easy money, right?

First Uta no Prince-sama and the ayakashi craze, then recycling Marginal #4 and now Otomate Record’s Majestical Cr[L]own. Is there anything Rejet won’t lazily rehash or blatantly rip-off be “inspired” by?

Sometimes watching Rejet is like watching an ex get fired, become an alcoholic, put on 100kg, lose their friends after fobbing them off for booze money and then getting chucked into prison after one too many DUIs- both have really let themselves go.

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Oh man I had this marked on my calendar AND COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT IT LOL. I’m not too interested in the drama CDs coming out from rejet this year. I definitely listen to more drama CDs than I ever did before, but for the most part it’s not something I follow that strictly or am all that interested in haha. I also had no idea Wasurenagusa was so prolific. I’ve heard about it here and there, and while I do like the Shinsengumi there’s just been so much of it that it’s gotten kind of tiring for me.

BUT OH MY GOD. BWS PSV PORT AND MORE KEN GA KIMI?????? LIMITED EDITION WHERE???????? OH MY GOD IT’S GONNA BE A GREAT YEAR I AM BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY EXCITED AND WORRIED LOL @_@ I really loved the KgK series; I love historical games and even though it was a struggle to get through reading wise it didn’t stop me from loving it. I owned the PC game and then I ended up getting the LE of the PSV game so my body is ready. I WAS WAITING FOR THIS. THANKS FOR DELIVERING REJET but please don’t screw it up or else I’m gonna cry hahaha ;_____; I definitely agree that if they go and milk this series, they’re going to ruin it and for me that would be too great an injustice lol ;O;

As for the BWS port, I never ended up playing Last Hope. I did love BN though so I’ll probably get this so I can relive it on the go and finally play LH! Haha

Even from early on in my “otome career”, my interest in drama CDs has been fairly inconsistent. To find something that’s worth listening to is like rummaging through a sale bin 10 days after it started looking for THE perfect pair of shoes. It’s become a matter of casting a larger net but being very strict about which fish to keep. I just check anyway, ’cause occasionally you come across something really interesting and worth the $20.

Yeah, 2016 will be a better year for Rejet games. I’m hoping they’ll announce another game that’s not a port, fandisc, sequel, whatever. The only games that consistently come out each year have something to do with bloody Diabolik Lovers. I think Ken ga Kimi has more “dignity” than DL, so the milking would just cheapen it. Plus it’d certainly impact plot consistency, since the initial story was likely written with one or two games in mind, not a million.

Last Hope isn’t as good as BN, but it’s still better than many titles that have been released within the last two or so years. I’m very much looking forward to the port!

They said they’re completely remaking everything including sprites. If they already have Satoi’s sprites, why would they need to redraw them? It’s like how Kazuki Yone is usually credited with designs for all the Hakuoki and Hiiro no Kakera games, but we know it’s some copy cat doing all the actual art and CGs. Just because they “designed” it doesn’t mean they actually did the art. I see it as like “here’s a template, ok copycats get to it”. Quin rose often did this too….Chara design: Fujimaru, but half those derp cgs are NOT drawn by Fujimaru.

Dialover is a joke now. They keep adjusting and modifying and retconing the plot to fit the popularity of the players. “Oh were we too harsh in the last game? Let’s make them sweet baby cakes in the next one”. The characters they were in HDB is nothing like they are in the follow up games, it’s a fucking joke lol. After More Fanfction I dropped this franchise like a ton of bricks (that and its fandom is マジキチ)

While I still wasn’t able to find out concrete info about how much involvement Satoi has anymore, I definitely agree with you that she’s not a part of Lost Eden’s promo art. I’d even go as far to say she has NO involement in Lost Eden as a whole. She might end up making a “congrats on master up!” kinda pic in the future, but no more than that.

I haven’t paid real attention outside of news tidbits to Diabolik Lovers since More, Blood, but even a complete n00b to the DL fandom can tell they’re two totally different artists in that pic. I can’t even believe the “ghost” artist’s work there even passed muster. It’s quite amateurish and pretty much looks like someone’s Subaru fanart.

Yeah, as soon as you see “original character design/illustration/artist/etc.”, you know a ghost has come to visit the art department… I’m not familiar with QuinRose’s case, but given how overworked Fujimaru already was, it comes as no surprise. Plus it’s possible QuinRose couldn’t afford her after they hit a certain low.

The first game was just kinda subpar at worst. LOL “More Fanfiction!” And yes, the fandom leaves little to be desired. I think Rejet fans as a whole can get a bit too cray-cray for my liking. They’re such yes people; never really questioning whatever lazy, substandard crap like the myriad of DL games Rejet comes up with next.

Thank you for reading again, Kurorisa! Sorry about the delay in replying… xS

Yeah, I’ve never been “hardcore” into the Rejet drama CDs (I think the last series I listened to from beginning to end was Vanquish Brothers… and I can’t even remember why), though I still find they have interesting stuff every now and then. It’s funny, because- IMO- the story-focused R18+ ones (sometimes, even the ones that aren’t) have better-constructed stories than the all-ages ones that pay through the roof to have A+ seiyuu. The frequent waste of talent both saddens and amazes me.

I’m not familiar with Rahwia, but her artwork for Fresh Kiss is very cute and colourful; so appropriate for the content. Especially that penguin~ I wish her artwork could be representing something much more worthwhile than an UtaPri ripoff!

I’m not a Maeno fan per se, but I do think he’s a great VA. Hope someday he gets to voice a vampire in a GOOD vampire story. He’s good at voice acting angry, hostile people, so it’s actually a darn good idea to cast him as a predatory creature, when I think about it…

tbh the only drama CD I enjoyed listening is the kakko warai ouji-sama series. it’s just a golden series www
it’s really weird actually seeing Rahwia’s art being cute like that because most of Rahwia’s illustration I see is more of uh, the sensual thing. you can youtube Ifudodo song cover of luz if you want to see what I mean xD;
I haven’t been a fan for a long time actually. started from Hak from AkaYona and after playing Code Realize, I’m just, sold to Maeno. in any case lol diabolik lovers is just a ripoff these days. I’ve only thought wow you guys still have ideas for the story? hmm yea good luck

I have no words for Wasurenagusa installment #4. I loved the first two installments, but it’s getting ridiculous…. Are you seriously doing a prequel after 2 sequels? Lol The 3rd series was so-so. At least for the characters I heard. I think they should have stopped at the 3rd one. But alas they’d be giving up money. Lol I can see the 2nd prequel already. (⌒-⌒; )

The news for the BWS port are great though. I never got my hands on Bloody Nightmare and I really liked the reviews/translations I read about it… I own Last Hope, but since I love dark and tragic stories, I’d love to play Bloody nightmare as well. So excited. I love the German Weiß und Schwarz wordplay since I’m German too. Way to go. wwww

Rejet had better CD series. But I guess they have to stay mainstream to get lots of money. Can’t blame them for that. I’d love to see some more mature themes like BWS or KgK though.

Very sorry- WordPress marked you as “spam” for some reason. Glad I’m paranoid and check my Spam section regularly! xS

Wow… Wasurenagusa sounds like it’s all over the place; like a less f’d-up version of what’s happening to Diabolik Lovers. In my ideal world, companies just release the initial game. If it does well enough, a fandisc/after story doesn’t hurt at all. If required, a prequel or sequel is fine. Having way more extensions of one story than planned (I’d say three is the absolute maximum if unplanned) is a recipe for inconsistencies and plot holes. Anyway, if I do get to it, I’ll follow you and just try the earlier stuff!

I can’t wait for the BWS port, too! Plus BWS has been released long ago enough to warrant a PSV port. I have both, but it’s always nice to have it on another console since my PSP is on the verge of death and physical copies could get lost or damaged. BWS’ naming has many Germanic origins, so you’d probably have a field day figuring out the origins of some of the towns and such. If you love dark and tragic, you’re definitely heading in the right direction! Last Hope has more happy endings, though. BWS… well, not so much, but depending on how much you can stomach sadness, it might be a bit too much or “nothing” to you.

You’re right in that Rejet has to compete with the main market. I just wish they also use their wealth creating even just ONE series with effort put into the story. I’m even curious to see how they’d adapt something like Lip on My Prince if they ever do so- I think a truly good writer can make a very “plain” setting like that shine. I love reading a good slice of life or high school rom-com. No need to shove in idols or vampires- human nature itself is sufficiently interesting IMO!

With MoshiKami not even attaining Famitsuu Silver with its 29/40 score (but Diabolik Lovers Lunatic Parade got Gold. GOLD. WTF!), it really makes me wonder. Did that particular panel of reviewers not like heavy themes, or did Otomate buy them out, LOL? I think I’ll stick or Amazon reviews and the usual Japanese and English blog haunts I visit before making a final decision to buy the D/L version of MoshiKami. I really want to support Rejet if it’s a serious effort and not some Yandere excuse-fest.

In Wasurenagusa you have the main story, a true sequel and a parallel universe sequel which was more on the happy side. But I found it so weird because Shinsengumi with the Wasurenagusa theme is meant to be well not so happy. If there are no vampires appearing in it, then it’s probably still ok. Lol I’m actually curious how the setting for the prequels is seeing how they want to have the story unfold before the guys joined the Shinsengumi.

I hope they will have some extra scenes for BWS, but even if they don’t add anything it would be fine too. I just have the feeling that once you enter a Cashire route, you’re bound to be doomed somehow. Especially with the bad ends. Even in last hope. I’m still scarred from Mejojo’s bad end. It was so sad. ;w;

Lip on my Prince is such a cute concept and left me squealing into my pillow with my 24 years. Lol I don’t think I’ve had a really good slice of life game that didn’t turn out weirdly. Oh well, there was Custom Drive, but the system sucked balls. And the events were so funny. ;;;; *cries in a corner*

Hmm… Yes, the question with MoshiKami is where the story is headed to. Is it heavy themed or just not good. We’ll never know until some reviews are floating somewhere. I really like the artwork too. And the music is nice. I hope it’s good somehow.

Yeah… I have no idea why you got put in the spam queue. Hopefully it won’t happen again!

Oh right, thanks for the low-down on Wasurenagusa! Yeah… It is strange that a story involving forget-me-nots and the Shinsengumi would bother to spawn a “happier” series. Maybe that’s what the fans were polling for in one of their marketing surveys. Most people prefer happy endings- so much so that they want one even in a work that makes it pretty clear it’s not about rainbows and butterflies.

I’m hoping for some additional scenarios for BWS as well! It’d be fun to play through both (and be reunited with my baby, Rath) and spot the differences.

Yeah, otome games especially like to be serious all the time! That’s why I’m looking forward to Bocchi Musume x Produce Keikaku. Hopefully it succeeds, so it inspires others to stop trying too hard to invoke “True Art Must Be Full of Angst.” LOL, it would be pretty funny if it turned out to be one of those games like NO, THANK YOU!!! that pretends to be light-hearted but is actually quite serious. Now I’m imagining Lip on My Prince turning into an Aromarie game, haha!

Since I’ve been ignoring Dance with Devils as much as possible (and am continuing to do so after checking out the game’s official website) since it’s so bland and boring, I think I’m hoping more than usual that MoshiKami is at least a passable experience. How sad would it be if Ken ga Kimi was the last “good ol’ Rejet game?”

“just like when I walked in on my parents “wrestling” Oh…..omg sorry you witnessed that. Moving on lol Kiraboshi means TwinklingStar or Shiny Star right? I just can’t understand the fad for idols…uta was ok but I’ve never been a fan. I don’t get the appeal at all.

And I’ve never played Black Wolves Saga but would LOVE to but I’m worried I won’t get far. I struggled to get through I DOLL U and Beastmaster and even then I had to skip a lot of text. I am constantly studying so hopefully I improve but I’m worried thiw will have a difficult eclectic assortment of grammar/vocab like a waffu game.

I know to never touch Ken Ga Kimi for a loooooong while but if BWS is one of your favs I would love to play it one day. That and tho I love romance, I crave a well written story too. Sweet Clown and Karin games are things I like. I guess I’m also a little hesitant on how much cruel events there are. Since it’s being ported maybe it will be censored but I don’t want that if the game truly shines with it. There’s no rape or anything, right?

I can handle depressing, dark, violent stories if it’s not glorified. And I hope the language barrier isn’t too difficult. Thanks and sorry for such a long post.

Haha, I’ve seen the “wrestling matches” twice! xD I sorta laugh about it now, but back then, I was kinda confused.

You’re right! There are many ways to translate it but it’d mean the same thing. I’m completely in the same boat as you, though I’m less tolerant- I actually now actively dislike the idol trend. I’d call myself a “hater”, though I don’t “hate” idols just yet. I’m more sick of seeing Osomatsu-san every second Tweet as well as their massive koebuta following, at the moment! It may be funny (especially the rental girlfriend episode and the first one), but it’s so well calculated to leech off seiyuu otaku that it kinda makes me cringe.

Hm… As for Black Wolves Saga, I would say in terms of difficulty, it’s something like intermediate~slightly higher than intermediate. I’d roughly guess someone who is very near an intermediate level would have a shot, but perhaps they may need to keep a dictionary handy. It’s not as difficult as Yoshiwara Higanbana or Ken ga Kimi, for sure (or basically compared to any wafuu game that tries to utilise archaic or more complex Japanese). I haven’t read I DOLL U nor Beastmaster, so I’m not going to be helpful in comparing BWS to those two. However, it sounds like both games don’t use complex Japanese, so perhaps you’d need to be able to read through them well (not perfectly, but well~very well) to get through BWS.

Good luck with your studies! I really do recommend BWS, and I hope you do get to it whenever you’re ready. Since BWS Bloody Nightmare is originally an “all-ages” PC game (PC VNs are usually divided in one of two categories: “All-ages” and “R18+”, since they don’t seem to need CERO ratings like titles released on PlayStation), there is no explicit sexual content. However, Last Hope was released on PSP, so it had to get screened by CERO and it’s CERO D [17+]. In my opinion, it’s rated for safety. My guess is that the PSV ports will both be CERO D; with a small possibility that Bloody Nightmare might have some things edited or censored.

There certainly isn’t any rape and I don’t recall any implications of it. It’s hard to assess how “gory/cruel/hardcore” a game is since it’s subjective, plus I’m desensitised to many things. I’d say when compared to other otome games, I’ve come across little that is crueler than BWS save for darker R18+ titles. When compared to other VNs with violence or non-VN games in general, BWS is not very high up there, IMO. The crueler scenes usually deal with death, though torture (both physical and psychological) is involved every now and then (especially in Bloody Nightmare, even more so on the Cat princes’ routes). The artstyle and the artwork itself doesn’t show any overly gory detail- they show blood and wounds. You’re not going to see headless CGs or innards, if that is what you mean.

The emphasis of BWS is to tell its story, with the violence being used to make a narrative point- so the goal isn’t to put off its readers to such an extent that they’d stop continuing, I’d say. BWS does not glorify or fetishise the violence. In fact, the beauty of BWS is that people who have been broken and mad for years don’t get “cured” because of “love”.

I’m the same when it comes to aesthetics vs. story, if that isn’t obvious after reading through my posts, haha. The story is very important to me. It’s actually very important in general- it’s a visual novel, after all. The visuals have to meet par, that’s for sure. But novel… The story has to match up. Great visuals can’t save a shitty story but a great story can somewhat negate crappy~mediocre visuals. Otome games don’t really have major issues in the visual department, so the stories just have to catch up. The writers could do with expanding their horizons or even attending specialised schools. They should be more proud of their craft!

Don’t apologise for long posts! I love reading and replying to them. Mine got pretty long as well!

Wow, thanks for the awesome detailed post! And yay, good to know we both don’t mind longer posts:)
Ah the wrestling matches lol that sucks.
I have to agree with you on the Osomatsusan tweets. I mean yeah they’re funny but it’s like becoming the only thing in the otaku community. Like how Shingeki was….ugh, it’s too much. 😦
Thanks SOOOO much for all that info and personal recommendation for BWS. I will purchase it when it releases but shall hold off from playing until my studies improve. It sounds just like the kind of game I’d like to play-dark, depressing at times, story-central, and heartfelt. I really am looking foward to it and that PV was FANTASTIC. I’m a little confused why there was English narration tho lol.Still, it left such a haunting impression.
The cat king certainly looks interesting and I’d love to know more. Would you recommend one of the two games first in this bundle?

I personally would recommend playing Bloody Nightmare then Last Hope, simply because Bloody Nightmare is the original game. Plus I believe Last Hope wasn’t planned, so perhaps it could be said that Bloody Nightmare is purely how Rejet wanted to release BWS. I guess an added bonus is that Last Hope ends on a happier note than Bloody Nightmare.